Hometeam wrestling/skiing: Rams set to host Northbridge Invitational

Sunday

Jan 12, 2014 at 11:30 PMJan 13, 2014 at 12:56 AM

The Northbridge wrestling team has had plenty to celebrate this season, with one grappler recording a major accomplishment and the Rams set to host the 18-team Northbridge Invitational tournament on Saturday.

Coach Dave Mills said the fifth-year competition will draw Central Mass. schools like Leominster, Shepherd Hill and the Worcester co-op, along with other schools from Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont. The tournament will commence at Northbridge High at 10 a.m. with the finals projected to begin around 5 p.m.

Mills said previous coach Kevin DeNorsica "set up the tournament to try to pump up wrestling in the area," because it is seen as a growing sport — even if Northbridge and Shepherd Hill are the only two SWCL schools that offer wrestling.

The Rams' coach has one very big reason to be upbeat about their odds and that's returning Telegram & Gazette Super Team member Connor Gatto.

A 6-foot, 287-point heavyweight who transferred over from St. John's last February, Gatto quickly impressed his teammates and became a captain.

Gatto has wrestling in the bloodlines. His father, Jay, is a former Division 1 state champion in the 187-pound weight class from his days at Dedham High.

"He's got a combination of strength, speed and wrestling skill, so he's really well-rounded for a heavyweight," Mills said. "Especially in his weight class you might get kids who have the size but not the speed or the speed but not the size."

Mills said heavyweights differ from lower weight class in that raw strength and power take precedent over wrestling tactics, but the compact big man is more than just an athlete with good leverage — he also boasts strong footwork, too.

"His skill set is one of the best I've seen for a heavyweight," Mills said.

"Basically you have to be competitive for four years, and to do it pretty early in his senior year is also in itself another accomplishment," Mills said.

Gatto picked up 44 wins last season and spent much of it at St. John's, so he competed for the Pioneers in the Division 1 North Sectionals, taking first in the 285-pound weight class before finishing sixth at states. Gatto was one of three St. John's winners at the 2013 sectionals, the highest number in school history.

The gregarious Gatto is coming off a heavyweight victory in the Cohasset Tournament on Saturday, and his only loss came in the finals of the Taunton Tournament before Christmas — although Gatto had a good reason to be rusty.

Gatto gained recognition early this school year as a key figure on Ken LaChapelle's Division 5 state finalist football team, which rode one of the area's best offensive lines to a Central Mass. title.

LaChapelle said Gatto played at around 300 pounds and "has this ability to use his size very effectively." Gatto had seen previous starting reps at St. John's.

"That was probably one of the best offensive lines I've had in the past 10 years or so," LaChapelle said. "He and Tom Tabur just gave us a massive right side to our line and for the first time in 15 years we had a 1,000-yard rusher (Koby Schofer)."

Mills is also a football assistant, and although he doesn't do much work with the linemen, he said he sees how the football skills translate over to wrestling.

"I think they're a natural combination," Mills said. "It's a lot of midsection and leg strength and driving guys forward and that's what he does wrestling-wise, too."

Both coaches expressed how highly they regard Gatto as a person as well.

Mills called him a "leader on and off the mat," and said he earned his teammates respect instantly, while LaChapelle said of Gatto, "He is an even better person than he is a football player or a wrestler. He's just an outstanding young man."

Another Hanlon emerges

It was a familiar sight in the first Central Mass. Conference Ski League race of the season, a giant slalom, as Sutner-Hanlon finished 1-2 at Ski Ward.

Although SPM-Worcester co-op captain Sam Sutner is a regular atop the league race board in 22.06, it was a different Hanlon than usual as Sutner's teammate, close friend and fellow captain Brandon Hanlon finished in sixth place (23.53).

Instead, it was his little brother, highly regarded Worcester Tech freshman Luke Hanlon, who made an impression in his CMass debut, taking second (23.00).

"Last year, me and (freshman C.J. Gallagher) were trying to race last year because SPM can have seventh- and eighth-graders, but the Worcester co-op couldn't," said the 14-year-old. "We just really wanted to get involved in it."

Doherty junior Mason Kirley (23.74) gave SPM-Worcester four of the top nine finishers as the boys' ski team took first place over Algonquin and St. John's.

There was a scoring issue found after the fact in the boys' race, as Westboro's Carter Reynolds finished third (46.44) and the St. John's duo of Bradley Sampson (47.21) and Jared Kronlund (47.32) took the next two spots.